Green Isle
by harrisb123
Summary: Written about Abbess Lycian's visit to Green Isle. Lord Igru's horde of evil ferrets are determined to conquer the otter clans and take Green Isle for themselves.CHAP 3 REWRITTEN!
1. Rain

_Extract from the writings of Abbess Lycian of Redwall:_

It is the Spring of the Water Lilies! The Abbey pond is covered in them, for the first time in living memory. Old Quelt assures me that water lilies are a sign of fruitful harvest for next autumn. However, I am now far away from those gently pink-tinged petals. I am onboard the _Fearless Frunk_, bound for Green Isle! Captain Quartle says we will arrive in two days' time. Brantalis the barnacle goose has visited Tiria, and he informs me that the otters are planning a feast for our arrival. I am sure it will be excellent. I cannot wait to meet all the wonderful otters that Tiria has told me about in her letters. Anyway, I must go now and help Friar Bibble, or he will be overrun by Quartle and Portan's highly unreasonable demands for food, food and more food. Those hares eat more than everyone else put together. They must have bottomless stomachs.

* * *

Far away, beyond even Southsward, huge waves battered the cliff faces relentlessly. Driving rain forced all creatures to shelter from the unforgiving storm. But nothing could stop Lord Igru! He sat in his cabin onboard his huge, three-masted ship, _Stormeel_, listening to the rain pounding against the window frame.

Igru was a Pure Ferret, with milky white fur and a long, swishing tail. His eyes were his pride and joy; one was a deep hazel brown and the other was shining emerald. He believed himself to be the most handsome ferret that had ever existed, and nobeast was going to argue with him, for he was also the fiercest and most bad-tempered ferret alive.

Igru had four children; three sons, Guaro, Kobir and Cuando. He also had a daughter, Hesao. It was said that Igru had slain their mother in a dispute over power shortly after she had given birth to Hesao. Kobir was almost as fierce as his father, as was Guaro. They were both greatly feared by Lord Igru's horde of ferrets Hesao and Cuando were shunned by their father. They were gentler than their brothers, and did not enjoy bossing the horde around. Igru often called them pathetic, and allowed them to be bullied by their older brothers.

Guaro was the eldest of the siblings, and was therefore allowed to control his own part of the horde. This made Kobir infinitely jealous. It would be another five seasons before he was allowed to take command of his own soldiers. For now he was stuck taking orders from his father.

"Guaro!" bellowed Igru. The short, sinewy ferret sidled through the doorway and into his father's cabin, rainwater dripping from his fur.

"Yes, father?"

"I want you to get your soldiers to steer the ship northwards," explained Igru.

"Why, where are we going?" inquired Guaro.

A fit of temper engulfed Igru. "Don't ask questions, follow orders, you impudent wretch!" he yelled, snarling into Guaro's face. "But if you really must know, we're going to Green Isle." Igru sniggered evilly.

"Up off your backsides, you lazy excuses for ferrets!" Guaro was among his soldiers, cracking his whip in front of their snouts to wake them up. "We have to get this ship on course for Green Isle. Lord Igru is going to conquer the otter clans and rule the Northlands!" Guaro did not mention that he intended to assassinate his father and take the Northlands for himself.


	2. Trifle

At Holt Summerdell, preparation for the feast was underway. Water lanterns were strung around the pools and the waterfall, and long tables were set up at the edge of the pond. The brew otter, Birl Gully, was sat in a cave instructing otter babes on how to roll the barrels down to the pond, whilst perfecting his latest barrel of Gullyplug punch.

"No, no, not so fast, you're going to run somebeast over!" Birl took a sip of is punch to calm himself down. "Hmm, a little more cowslip, I think," he remarked. "Stop that, Toobil, you're going to ruin that elderberry wine!" Birl mopped his brow with a handkerchief. These otter babes were more trouble than they were worth. Kolun Galedeep entered the cave waving a large stick.

"I found young Toobil brandishing this at Gribbsy," Kolun explained. "I took it off him before he took somebeast's eye out."

"Those young'uns will be the death of me," said Birl, shaking his head. "When they're not smashing my best barrels of strawberry fizz on the rocks, they're attempting to assassinate each other with sticks. They were meant to be using those sticks to control the barrels, y'know, but no chance. D'you think you could get them away from here, Kolun?"

"Any time, matey," said Kolun with a wink.

"Ahoy, mateys, I've heard Deedero needs help making candied chestnut trifle!" yelled Kolun. Whooping and roaring, the otterbabes charged over to Deedero's kitchen.

"We's gonna make twifle!"

"We's gonna make twifle!"

Kolun grimaced. "My missus won't thank me for that," he said. "I'd better go and help her out." He charged off in pursuit of the otterbabes.

Deedero's kitchen was a scene of chaos, mainly due to the fact that she was not making candied chestnut trifle.

"Wah, me wanna make a candy chesknut twifle!" squealed the babes. Deedero noticed Kolun at the back of all the otterbabes, looking at the floor and shuffling his feet nervously.

"Kolun, you big fat plank-tailed liar! You told them I was making candied chestnut trifle!"

"Well, I - " Kolun was interrupted by excited whoops and cheers. Banya Streamdog came rushing in.

"The Redwallers are here! Leatho sighted the _Fearless Frunk _anchoring in the bay," she said breathlessly. "Get the feast on the tables quickly!"

Holt Summerdell became a hive of activity. Pies, flans, pasties and trifles were all put on the tables, the ale and wine barrels were lined up neatly and the finishing touches were made to the decorations. Queen Tiria organised a small group of otters to go and meet the Redwallers. In less than five minutes, the feast was ready and Tiria, Banya, Kolun, Deedero and Leatho were marching off to meet with the visitors.

The otters stopped at the lake, just past the charred remains of Riggu Felis' old fortress.

"There they are!" exclaimed Tiria. The Redwallers could be seen in the distance. "We'll wait for them here."

It seemed like an age before the Redwallers arrived at the lake. When they finally did, reunions were flowing thick and fast.

"Abbess Lycian!"

"Tiria, how you've grown!"

"Tribsy, it's good to see you. Is Girry here?"

"Nay, ee little rarscal wudd get seasickened, ho urr!"

"Where's Brantalis?" inquired Tiria.

"Oh, he'll be along as soon as the gluttonous feathery foodbag has finished stuffing himself back at Redwall," came a voice from the back of the crowd of Redwallers.

Tiria knew who it was instantly. She would recognise that voice anywhere.

"Dad, it's you!" said Tiria excitedly. "I didn't realise you were coming!"

"Aye, it's me sure enough," said Banjon. He came forwards and hugged his daughter tightly. "Now are we going to stand here all day, or can we go to this feast I've heard about?" Everybeast laughed. The joyful party started the long walk back to the holt.


	3. Soup

Later that evening, the feast at Holt Summerdell was in full swing. Everybeast was sat at a long table enjoying the variety of mouth-watering dishes. From pear and apricot flan to mushroom and onion pasties and turnip'n'tater pie, all foods were eaten ravenously by the hungry Redwallers. The shrimp and hotroot soup disappeared especially quickly, gobbled down in hotroot pepper soup competitions, where two otters went head to head to see who could eat the spiciest soup. The more bowls that were eaten, the more pepper was put in. Despite his ancient, frail appearance, Old Zillo the Bard was remarkably immune to the effects of the pepper. Zillo and Kolun were against each other in the final of the competition. Each otter had their own troupe of supporters cheering them on. Strangely, Deedero was supporting Zillo.

"That mischievous husband of mine needs to lose something," she explained to Banya. "He's bossing me around a bit these days."

Banya suppressed a smirk. "And you don't boss him around at all, do you?" joked Banya.

"Come on, Zillo!" whooped Deedero, pretending not to hear her friend.

Banya chuckled and joined in the cheering.

Zillo was on his second bowl of soup, but Kolun had already downed five bowls without much difficulty.

"Cummon, Mister Zilly, youse gonna lose!" cried out a small otterbabe. Rather than attacking the bowls with renewed vigour, Zillo merely winked in the babe's direction and kept ploughing his way through the soup. Kolun, however, had accelerated and was now gulping down his eighth bowl, cheered on by his supporters, who included Tiria, Lycian and Tribsy.

Suddenly, Kolun coughed violently and seized up, choking. Luckily, Leatho was on the scene quickly, hitting Kolun on the back. Kolun coughed up the offending mouthful of soup, but was in no fit state to carry on with the competition. He sat down on his chair, watching nervously as Zillo kept spooning the soup from his sixth bowl into his mouth. Slowly the bowl's contents disappeared, but it was clear that Zillo was beginning to weaken. The seventh bowl was a noticeable struggle, and he had to hold his nose to gulp down forced mouthfuls of the eighth. Near the end of the eighth bowl, Zillo finally surrendered to the heat of the pepper and swallowed a huge beaker of cool, clear water in one massive gulp, panting. Leatho, who was judging, inspected the bowls.

"I declare the winner of this competition to be…"

The gathered crowd waited with bated breath.

"…Kolun Galedeep!"

All the supporters rushed in to congratulate Kolun. They also all patted Zillo on the back, for despite the air of competition, they were all true friends with each other.

* * *

Author Note: I get extremely annoyed with the Redwall 'slow and steady wins the race' food-eating contests, so I wrote this instead. Hope you like it, please R&R!! 


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